My uncle died four years ago. He was something of a rogue and had lived a somewhat colourful life. A few 'known' faces came to the funeral and one of them told a story that had the vicar almost calling an end to the proceedings. We were all in stitches and it really made the day.

I think people appreciate how difficult a thing it is to do. If you can speak from the heart, and hopefully make people smile at times, you'll have done a wonderful thing for your friend and the people he left behind.

OP - wow! You offered to speak at the funeral! There is no way that I could have done that. That's really a brave thing to do, and I'm sure that it will mean a lot to his family.

My advice on what to say would be to share something positive. Preferably something that no one else would know about. Something that he did that was funny, or a time that he really helped someone out.

My uncle, Michael, did the same thing and this is possibly the first thread that I have read here that has had me in tears (well apart from the picolax thread, but that is very, very different).

As for the offer of speaking at the funeral that is something that everybody will appreciate. They all want to say goodbye and to remember your friend. As has already been said you should include happy and funny moments. Just pick one moment, or thing that happened that you think illustrates what made him your mate. It may be a well known anecdote, or something that you two never shared with anybody else and you can start to build from there.

Best of luck and keep riding (one of the things that keeps me sane and makes me remember my uncle every time I am out).

I started with a quote from a song. Then warned everyone that it was fairly likely that I might cry, and then talked. I put in a little bit of humour, a lot of honesty, and a lot of Sam. Finished with a poem he showed me once.

It seemed really well received. I went back to my seat and burst into tears. Was a very hard day, but it couldn't have gone any better I think. Thanks for all the advice.

I did it for my uncle, I'm used to the whole keeping-your-shit-together-in-unpleasant-circumstances thing from work, but going through it as a process, surrounded by people who know me and know him was a different experience, and one I'm glad I did.